The CliftonStrengths Coaching Blog is a resource for those who want to help others truly understand their strengths and learn how to use them. Gallup experts and outside contributors share tactics, insights, and strategies to help strengths coaches maximize the talent of individuals, teams, and organizations everywhere.

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Monday, August 24, 2015

[Focus] Goals as Compass and Guide

On a recent Theme Thursday live webcast, we discussed the Focus theme with Jim Harter, Ph.D., Gallup Chief Scientist of Workplace Management and Well-Being. Jim's top five strengths are Achiever, Focus, Learner, Relator and Futuristic.

People with strong Focus talents prioritize and
then take action. They set goals. These goals serve as their compass, helping
them determine priorities and make alterations when needed to get back on
course. Their Focus is powerful because it forces them to filter; they
instinctively evaluate each action before taking it to determine whether it
will help them reach their goal. In the end, strong Focus talents push them to
be efficient. They are extremely valuable team members because their
single-mindedness enhances the speed and quality of their performance and keeps
the team on track.
A person with high focus is single-minded and goal oriented. They
see the light at the end of the tunnel -- and will stay on track, despite
distractions. Focus allows people to take direction and follow through with
given tasks. They start with the end in mind.For Jim, Focus provides an intensity that make his
work and life fulfilling because it allows him to be absorbed in important
matters. Indeed, Jim believes science isn't only about making a discovery, but
about making discoveries for a greater purpose -- he always has the end goal in
mind. Focus allows Jim to work toward his goals, despite his many everyday distractions.

Right now, engagement in the workplace is too low around
the world. Jim's ultimate goal is to increase that engagement and his Focus theme
helps him devote time, energy and thought to it. Goals need to create
impact and be practical, so Jim is always revising the ways in which he can
reach his goals. He revises them to find the work most relevant to his goals-
so they are never static.

Jim also devotes a large part of his career to well-being.
Gallup categorizes Well-being into five elements: Purpose, Social, Community,
Financial and Physical. Jim uses his Focus to set and reach goals related to each
element of Well-being. He also tries to maximize his well-being activities by
combining multiple elements into one activity. For instance, Jim participates
in a community bike ride where he socializes with his colleagues, contributes
money to his community and takes care of his physical well-being. Identifying
these activities and completing them all relate to Jim's Focus: he finds a
goal and reaches it.

To hear more about Focus and how Jim uses it in his everyday life, watch the full video above or the short theme video below.